ACMA warns of Do Not Call Register telephone scam

Australian consumers are being advised to hang up on scammers who claim they are owed money for receiving telemarketing calls while registered on the Australian Communications and Media Authority's (ACMA) Do Not Call Register.

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Australian consumers are being advised to hang up on scammers who claim they are owed money for receiving telemarketing calls while registered on the Australian Communications and Media Authority's (ACMA) Do Not Call Register.

An ACMA spokesman told Computerworld Australia that the scammers usually request an upfront payment of $149 in order to process the compensation funds which can vary from $300 up to $3000.

"The Do Not Call Register does not contact people to advise that they are entitled to compensation, or to confirm personal details," he said in a statement.

"People should not provide any personal identification or financial details to scammers claiming to represent the Register."

He added that the Authority had been targeted in a variation of the scam during October 2011 where consumers received calls from people claiming to be from the Data Protection Council which is part of the ACMA.

In addition, the authority reported last year that callers were requesting fees to add a person's number on the Do Not Register list.

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